Before I start this story, I will advise ALL people who are going to go full time RV and work the campgrounds to get a contract agreement with the owners in WRITING....
This was the verbal agreement.... We would get 50% of the net profit of the camp season.
Our first summer season I won't say was a total waste of time but was truly a heart wrenching lesson to us. We started our summer in MN in April 2006. The owners seemed very nice and ready for us to take charge.
They handed us the keys. Once the keys were handed over to us in late April we did not see the owners unless we tracked them down. Once a month we handed them a very detailed income financial report and the monthly receipts for expenditures. They were always pleased with the result. During the second month we were a little disappointed with the campground weekend attendance and made inquiries with other local campgrounds and state parks that were nearly FULL. We met with the State Park rangers in the area and found the campground we were at had a bad reputation. So, we assured them that we as the new managers had cleaned it up and were ALWAYS there 7 days a week to answer the phones and take reservations, and stood by the campground rules no matter who didn�t like them. This helped alot. We placed flyers for the campground at local business, met with managers and local towns folk to let them know who we were and to put the campground name out to the public. It wasn't long that the State campgrounds used us as overflow. Every weekend they called us to see if we had openings. Even tho we were limited for RV sizes, that side stayed booked.
At my own expense I built a dynamic website, with pictures and details and history of the camp-ground. We placed our personal computer in the stockroom to keep track of reservations, records and book-keeping. There was no accurate book-keeping with any detailed records until we did this. I am very fanatical when it comes to handling money and finances especially if its not mine.
Here is a list of what we did to improve the campground.
A couple of weeks before opening day, May 1st, we went to the recycle center and got paint and stain. ( Free ) We were always conscience about keeping purchases to bare bones, knowing the end result would mean more money for us to share. We painted and stained every sign and picnic table in the campground (82) tables and repaired 12 tables.
Replaced and painted all the missing signs along the roads, campsites and trails.
Cleaned dead mice and years of dirt and trash tossed about out of the bathrooms and utility room.
Cleaned years of clutter out of the store stockroom. (old household furniture, magazines, trash everywhere, empty boxes, used food containers, personal items, all was relocated to owner�s personal storage building.)
Removed all outdated foods. Hauled numerous loads of sand back up the hill with the bobcat that had washed down into the highway after rains. Ordered 55 tons of gravel for pothole repair. Repaired and resurfaced the gravel roads throughout the campground, ourselves. Completely repaired and stopped the land erosion that was bringing the sand down to the highway. Weed-eated the entire campground roads and cut low hanging branches. Landscaped the front entrance to the campground. Put in flower beds and rock gardens. De-weeded the road one block on each side of the entrance (both sides of the highway) De-weeded and repaired both playgrounds.
Placed clean colored sand into the sand play boxes. Got at no cost New Little Tykes picnic tables for the kid's playgrounds. As well as other brand new ride on toys for the toddlers to enjoy. Thanks ( FREECYCLE )
Replaced broken swings and chains.
Repaired a huge two-year-old hole in the roof of the pavilion. Cleaned the pavilion and landscaped.
Using our personal vehicle we hauled 11 cords of fired wood to the campground. Split 11 cords of wood to sell during the season. Delivered wood to campsites upon request. At check-in each camper was giving the rules and map to campsite and an escort to get into their site if need be. Each camper was offered free delivery of firewood to their site. Any incidents were handled by us or the local police. (which were few) We were available 24 hours to our campers for emergencies ( even for chasing a raccoon or bear from the campsite) Camp Store was open from 7am to 10pm every Friday and Saturday. 8am to 3pm most weekdays. Throughout the season we did weekly grass maintenance.
Took reservations 24 hrs. Bathrooms were cleaned every 2 hours, during weekend traffic. Each campsite was cleaned and raked, fire pits dugout. Pit toilets sanitized and cleaned. Restocked store merchandise as needed. Went to every campsite and visited with each camper before quiet time. Some weekends wouldn't get to our own RV until well after midnight. Cut dead trees for camper�s safety. Did equipment up-keep. Cleaned trails and any debris. There was no weekend activities for the campers to do in the campground. Here is a list of some of the things we offered.
Implemented a fun Scavenger Hunt for the younger campers.
Held Potluck Dinners.
Held Campsite Bingo Games for Prizes
Gave Freezy Pops to the kids.
On Holiday weekends we had a Pot Luck and music with a DJ. (out of our pocket)
Held a Hat Contest.
Held a Pet Parade.
And we are only a TEAM of 3 people. My Husband, our Son and Myself.
We had compliment after compliment from our campers on how GREAT the campground looked and how diligent we were in our service to them. A lot of folks said to us that they had never had the services and friendliness we offered them before while staying at this campground.
3 weeks to the end of the season which is Oct. 15th, we got a call from the owner we would be meeting to do the end of season tally for our pay.
Our total pay and % of the net profit was $0.00.
It was told to us that they didn't do as well as previous years, yet they could not or would not produce receipts for previous years and a lot of the paperwork that I turned in at the end of each month was LOST... by the owner. In the list of expenses that we were shown very briefly and we were not allowed to have copies of, they had included; their own personal vehicle which was NEVER used for the campground, products that were purchased for another business that they own, a new designer golf cart that was purchased for their children, we only had access to ONE golf cart the whole season but was expensed for all 4. Other expenses were included that were highly exaggerated. I knew most of them because I saw the original receipts. We were threatened that if we pursued the issue, that the owner had been a police officer and knew people. The owner also said there was money missing, but could not produce receipts to show where. I even told her she did not have half the receipts and cash tickets for all the cash that I had giving her over the months that were not included in her report to me. I requested a CERTIFIED CPA to do the accounting but she refused saying her friend did the write up. This person had no credentials to do bookkeeping. A friend.. HA I was instructed to hand over all hard copies of registrations then strip and delete our computer of ALL records concerning the campground. As I was doing this and after I hit delete. We were also told we had to pack up and leave that day. With hearing all the above news the being told to leave with short notice was the kick in the pants.
I have many names and addresses of the campers that stayed with us that summer who saw how hard we worked and all we did. And these people and their thoughts of well wishes and encouragement mean more to us than any money we lost in this venture. Even the original owners of the camp-ground saw what we did to bring this run down campground back to life. They almost cried at times telling us how they built the campground and took so much pride in making it a beautiful park and were glad that we came along and turned it back into a nice place for families to camp.
I have wondered how the cold-hearted, back-stabbing owners sleep at night knowing how they USED us.... and I can't help but believe this was a plan from the beginning. Their own kids told us that the previous managers had left before the season was over and they didn�t know why. But, we know why now.. Sad thing is they will tell the NEXT managers the same story, we left before the season was over.......
So we left with NO money and NO future plans yet of where to go and a tear on our cheek. But see folks, we are a TEAM and we love and support one another. We know we can sleep at night knowing WE did NOTHING wrong.
Well folks ya live and learn.... And boy did we ever learn... Make COPIES and more COPIES and get EVERYTHING in WRITING.... waub o jeeg waubojeeg waub-o-jeeg